The primary objective of the RISE Scholars Program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is to increase the participation of disadvantaged underrepresented minority students (URM) in biomedical research. The UTEP RISE Program is comprised of two distinct populations of trainees: a) Students that participate in research projects as undergraduates and b) Graduate students working towards a Ph.D. degree. The specific aims of this program are as follows: (1) To provide increased access to educational and research biomedical training activities for URM students; (2) Increase the number of URM undergraduates who choose to pursue careers in biomedical research; and (3) Increase the representation of URM graduate students in the Biology and Chemistry Ph.D. programs to a level equivalent to our URM undergraduate population. At the undergraduate level, the UTEP RISE Scholars program has met or exceeded most of the originally proposed objectives in the areas of student retention, semester credits attained, improvements in overall GPA, and placement (84%) of undergraduate trainees in graduate programs. While the graduate training component was implemented as a supplement in 2006, two URM trainees have already obtained their Ph.D.'s (within 4 years each). The RISE graduate component has significantly enhance our existing graduate program by increasing the number of URM trainees, by adding valuable training workshops for all graduate students, and by lowering the years to degree. In addition, the RISE graduate trainees will receive enhanced mentorship and guidance from the PD and Co-PDs who will counsel them at important junctures and checkpoints during their graduate careers. The planned activities are expected to reduce the time-to degree and thus increase the output of URM graduates from our programs. The goals and objectives that have been proposed in this renewal application should allow us to continue to generate a highly talented pool of trainees with a genuine interest in pursuing academic biomedical research careers. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The primary goal of the RISE Scholars Program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is to increase the participation and retention of underrepresented minority (URM) students in biomedical research. The UTEP RISE Program is comprised of two distinct populations of trainees; 1) undergraduate students that participate in research projects and 2) graduate students working towards a Ph.D. degree. The specific aims of this program are the following: (1) To provide increased access to educational and research biomedical training activities for URM students; (2) Increase the number of URM undergraduates who choose to pursue careers in biomedical fields; and (3) Increase the representation of URM graduate students in the Biology and Chemistry Ph.D. programs to levels equivalent to our Institutional undergraduate population.